Anaphora - Ladies and Gentlemen - EP

​Anaphora

Ladies and Gentlemen - EP
self-released; 2015

3.5 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

Joe Trickey aka Anaphora has been releasing a steady stream of music since 2013 including Simplicity and The Tide Factory, which we happened to review. His latest EP entitled Ladies and Gentlemen is his best work yet. The songs have more aesthetically pleasing elements, the production feels more refined and the hooks are catchier than they have ever been before.

You can hear what I am talking about on the title track. Trickey blends bells and soft synths as he slowly revs up the BPM. The way he transitions into the beat is smooth and feels natural. As soon as the beat gets going he tears it away in what feels like more of an introduction. 

The next track “The Salmon of Doubt” is a girth-y, five-plus-minute song, which displays some of the production skills he has refined since his early recording. The song works on 4/4 timing but that's about the only thing that stays constant throughout. There are plenty of changes as Trickey trades in lead synth sounds for atmospheric pads and back again. It's a good ride that feels fun, light and danceable.

“Benidorm (feat. Connie Richards)” is arguably the highlight on the EP. The vocals from Richards are the focal point in the beginning of the song. Trickey cuts them up and slices and dices them and than strategically places them in at effective points. It sounded great but towards the middle of track Trickey moves on to different sounds. “Magician” has an 8-bit video game carnival type vibe while the closer “Waterfall Party” utilizes filters and slight distortion so the synths sit very forward in the mix. 

The songs on Ladies and Gentlemen fit in well together and it seems obvious that Trickey not only has been polishing up his production skills but also has better ideas of how the songs sound in context of each other. I think it's safe to say Trickey is far from done with his musical endeavors. It’s encouraging to hear how an artist has put in the work and the results are starting to show.

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